When the Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE) convened in January 2016 in Washington, we celebrated both IDEA's and HECSE's 40th anniversaries. As we reflected on those two anniversaries, the convictions that generated this special issue became increasingly evident: the irrevocable significance of the impact of public policy on students with disabilities and special education and the critical importance of advocacy. This article provides closing remarks related to articles included in this special issue of "Teacher Education and Special Education" (TESE) written by HECSE members.